Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Shaniqua Don't Live Here No Mo’ *

Pay Phone , near Grayton Beach FL 2006

All reproduction rights reserved Wm. Greiner

Corridor leaders upset with Nagin's census tactics

Corridor community leaders aren’t happy with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin’s call for people to be counted in the city’s population whether they actually live there or not. The Times-Picayune reported last week that Nagin is urging those still displaced by Hurricane Katrina -- and longing to return -- to record the Crescent City as their home when the U.S. Census Bureau conducts its decennial head count next spring. That goes against centuries-old federal policy requiring people to be counted at the address where they are “living or staying” on the official census day, which is April 1.

The census count is critical because it determines who gets how much of $300 billion annually in federal grants -- as well as the distribution of seats in Congress and the state Legislature -- for the next decade. Understandably, Nagin’s plea isn’t sitting well with community leaders in areas along the rest of the corridor that have experienced major growth since the storms -- namely St. Tammany, Livingston and Lafayette parishes.

"Fraudulent census reporting hurts everyone and helps no one," says St. Tammany Parish CAO William Oiler. "It leads to reduced essential services, including less funding for schools, fire districts and public safety." To read the full story, click here. For the rest of 10/12 Weekly, click here.—Penny Font The Baton Rouge Business Report 7/15/09